On the 1st Day of Christmas

Ok I know it isn’t the 1st day of Christmas until the 25th…but here is my bariatric breakdown to the 12 days of Christmas with some wonderful recipes and advice for the run-up! First out of the block is a comforting Cauliflower Cheese Soup…brilliant for everyone pre and post-op (as well as other family members) and suitable for all but the very earliest of post-surgery eating. It’s a simple recipe, a doddle to make, and whilst brilliant for the winter months…when the North winds shall blow and we will have snow…can also be served at room temperature in the warmer months. I made this soup using Marks & Spencer 3% fat Cheddar cheese so the stats are based on that…look for the lowest fat hard cheese you can find to keep the fat levels low.

COMFORTING CAULIFLOWER CHEESE SOUP

Ingredients

METRIC/US
1 small to medium cauliflower
1 large potato
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
900 ml/33/4 cups skimmed milk
175g/11/2 cups grated low-fat mature hard cheese
salt, freshly ground black or white pepper and grated nutmeg to season

Method
1. Trim, wash and finely chop the cauliflower, discarding any rough stalks. Peel and finely chop the potato into very small pieces, about 2cm/3/4 inch in size.
2. Place the cauliflower, potato, garlic and milk in a large pan and put on a low heat. Simmer until the potato is very soft, about 10-12 minutes.
3. Add the cheese with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste and using a stick blender process until smooth. Alternatively, place in a blender and puree until smooth. Serve piping hot or allow to cool to room temperature to serve.

SERVES 4
WLS PORTION: 1/2

V suitable for Vegetarians
* suitable for Freezing

Calories per portion: 247
Protein: 28.9g
Carbohydrate: 27.2g
Fat: 2.6g

Image courtesy of www.loveyourgreens.co.uk